HUNDREDS of businessmen and women came together at Salisbury City Hall for The South Wilts Business of the Year Awards.

The 15th annual awards saw 650 people from the business world gather to celebrate excellence in all aspects of industry, ranging from marketing and manufacturing to apprenticeships and entrepreneurship.

Amanda Foster, owner of Hector Merrywheather and vice chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, organised the event for the third year.

She said: “The awards take just over six months of planning and I start just before Christmas. Firstly looking at lists of previous entrants but more importantly finding new and exciting companies to enter.

“These could be well established companies that are hidden in and around south Wiltshire.

“By March I have invited some 300 plus companies to the launch. The launch this year was held at Salisbury Audio showroom at Churchfields and looked wonderful.

“After the launch I then call, chase, encourage and just ask these companies to enter the awards. Each company can enter up to three awards.

“I then collate this into a list for the judges by category and then it’s over to them for five weeks of visits.”

A total of 114 companies received a visit from the judges and just over 50 had never entered the awards before.

The awards were presented by Ceri Jones from Spire FM – ‘after a quick trip back from Brazil’ – and station manager Karen Bosley.

The ceremony started with music from Sharon Corr, from The Corrs, before the award announcements got under way.

Full results follow on this website. See stories below.